diff --git a/libraries/AC_PID/AC_PID.cpp b/libraries/AC_PID/AC_PID.cpp
index 23d287c9d5..dec8611569 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_PID/AC_PID.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AC_PID/AC_PID.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include <AP_Math.h>
 #include "AC_PID.h"
+#include <stdio.h>
 
 const AP_Param::GroupInfo AC_PID::var_info[] PROGMEM = {
     // @Param: P
@@ -53,13 +54,10 @@ AC_PID::AC_PID(float initial_p, float initial_i, float initial_d, float initial_
     _ki = initial_i;
     _kd = initial_d;
     _imax = fabs(initial_imax);
-    _filt_hz = initial_filt_hz;
+    filt_hz(initial_filt_hz);
 
     // reset input filter to first value received
     _flags._reset_filter = true;
-
-    // calculate the input filter alpha
-    calc_filt_alpha();
 }
 
 // set_dt - set time step in seconds
@@ -70,10 +68,14 @@ void AC_PID::set_dt(float dt)
     calc_filt_alpha();
 }
 
-// set_filt_hz - set input filter hz
-void AC_PID::set_filt_hz(float hz)
+// filt_hz - set input filter hz
+void AC_PID::filt_hz(float hz)
 {
-    _filt_hz.set(hz);
+    _filt_hz.set(fabs(hz));
+
+    // sanity check _filt_hz
+    _filt_hz = max(_filt_hz, AC_PID_FILT_HZ_MIN);
+
     // calculate the input filter alpha
     calc_filt_alpha();
 }
@@ -198,7 +200,7 @@ void AC_PID::operator() (float p, float i, float d, float imaxval, float input_f
 
 // calc_filt_alpha - recalculate the input filter alpha
 void AC_PID::calc_filt_alpha()
-{    
+{
     // calculate alpha
     float rc = 1/(2*PI*_filt_hz);
     _filt_alpha = _dt / (_dt + rc);
diff --git a/libraries/AC_PID/AC_PID.h b/libraries/AC_PID/AC_PID.h
index b828e6cd36..8b91a2744d 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_PID/AC_PID.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_PID/AC_PID.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <math.h>
 
 #define AC_PID_FILT_HZ_DEFAULT  20.0f   // default input filter frequency
+#define AC_PID_FILT_HZ_MIN      0.01f   // minimum input filter frequency
 
 /// @class	AC_PID
 /// @brief	Copter PID control class
@@ -24,9 +25,6 @@ public:
     // set_dt - set time step in seconds
     void        set_dt(float dt);
 
-    // set_filt_hz - set input filter hz
-    void        set_filt_hz(float hz);
-
     // set_input_filter_all - set input to PID controller
     //  input is filtered before the PID controllers are run
     //  this should be called before any other calls to get_p, get_i or get_d
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@ public:
     void        kI(const float v) { _ki.set(v); }
     void        kD(const float v) { _kd.set(v); }
     void        imax(const float v) { _imax.set(fabs(v)); }
-    void        filt_hz(const float v) { _filt_hz.set(fabs(v)); }
+    void        filt_hz(const float v);
 
     float       get_integrator() const { return _integrator; }
     void        set_integrator(float i) { _integrator = i; }